Carol Schulte

What’s on YOUR Bucket List?

Last night there were 65 amazing women at The Lodge on Queen, sipping on glasses of bubbly, hard at both work and play as they were dreaming BIG and creating their bucket lists. The energy was palpable. The laughter contagious. The stories inspiring.

It was the inaugural ‘Bubbles and Bucket Lists’ event, marking the soft launch of the new initiative Women Living BIG ~ a community of women dedicated to stepping outside of their comfort zones, tackling their bucket lists, and fully experiencing their life.

It’s a dream I’ve had for a while now ~ and I am SO full of gratitude, excitement, inspiration, motivation, empowerment, celebration, and joy… to name but a few of the plethora of feelings I’m feeling right now!

Inspired by my own journey in moving through the loss of my mother, now 10 years ago (hard to believe…) I have learned there are no guarantees in life. There is no dress rehearsal in life. And there is no pushing the pause button in life.

Your life has already begun. Your life is NOW! Are you living your BIGGEST life?!?

So I can’t help but be curious, what’s on YOUR bucket list?

It’s not being morbid, or thinking about what you want to do on your deathbed. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s about beginning to fully experience your life NOW.

Here are some trigger questions to get you going…

What would you do today if money was no object?

Where would you go if you were given 6 months of paid vacation? (and if you are an entrepreneur, know your business would magically run just as smoothly as if you were still here… HA!)

What is that one goal you’ve had since you were a child?

If you were given 1 month to live, what would you do?

What have you always wanted to do, but were too scared to make happen?

Perhaps it’s time to sit down and create your bucket list. And then I challenge you to take it even one step further. Commit to looking at it on a regular basis. Commit to completing one item monthly, quarterly, or annually. Join a community like Women Living BIG (shameless plug, HA!) where you can start living out your bucket list… starting TODAY.

After all, tomorrow never comes.

What’s on YOUR bucket list? Your life has already begun. Your life is now. No regrets. Are you living your BIGGEST life?(click to tweet it out!)

Happy Friday, and have a FAB week!

P.S. Wanna see my bucket list? Go check out www.womenlivingbig.com and sign up to get the exciting updates… I’ll be sending out my bucket list to the community soon!

My week in pictures: Enjoying some of the tiff (Toronto International Festival buzz… saw 3 movies!), rowing gang (and the sunset from the water below middle!) speaking to Company of Women Toronto Chapter, Power of Success event with amazing speakers and awesome peeps! Apologies for going over the top with the selfies!

turn potential into possibility in the present.

Imagine 6,000+ people, crazy line-ups around the block, hungry for learning and growth, holding feverishly onto every one of Tony Robbins words, jumping and dancing and cheering like never before, celebrating life while sweating it up and TOTALLY eating it up.

Well, you don’t have to imagine it. Because that was exactly the scene on Wednesday at the International Convention Centre in Toronto. And I was right in the center of it all, milking in every moment.

Any chance to experience one of these big personal development seminars I’m there ~ and not afraid to admit it ~ however throw in names like Les Brown and Tony Robbins and you’re taking it to a whole new level.

Now it’s not the first (nor will it be the last) event like this I’ll ever attend. However it was a bit different this time. Why?

I used to sit in those audiences, totally fired up, and yet totally full of fear that I would forget all of the excitement and inspiration and confidence I had cultivated in that moment, and never fully live out my potential.

And then I began to believe in my potential. I had some adventures, volunteered in Thailand, shaved my head (raising $10,000 to boot!), lived in an Ashram, learned how to ride camels, to surf, got dreadlocks, lived in a van, learned languages, picked apples, got a Masters, became a bereavement facilitator, started coaching, started training, started speaking.

And then more recently I used to sit in those audiences, totally fired up, and yet totally full of fear that I would be overwhelmed with all of the possibilities that existed, now that I was realizing my potential, and never actually choosing to take action and live out all of those possibilities.

And then yesterday I was sitting in that audience, totally fired up, and realizing I WAS taking action. I am not only beginning to realize my potential, I am creating possibilities, and beginning to realize them in the present.

Next Thursday marks the soft launch of my new initiative Women Living BIG ~ at the inaugural ‘Bubbles & Bucket Lists’ event ~ a dream I’ve had for a while.

Do I have it all figured out yet? Heck NO! Am I still full of fear? Heck YES! And is that going to stop me from going after what I want? No way, José!

According to Tony, there are 3 forces necessary for creation:

Focus

Massive Action

Grace (or love, God, Universe… whatever you choose to call it…)

He also said that fear ‘aint going anywhere any time soon. It’s true. And so the only way to conquer it is to take MASSIVE action.

I asked my Mastermind members in our call last night two questions – and now I’m going to ask you:

What is your BIG dream? YOUR BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal)?

And what is one small step of MASSIVE ACTION you can take THIS week in the direction of this goal or dream?

We don’t get a dress rehearsal for life. It’s already begun. Your life is NOW. Are you making it what you want?

You are full of potential. Life is full of possibilities. Are you realizing them in the present? (click to tweet it out!)

One of my fave lines from Les Brown yesterday: “If you die today, what dreams, talents, skills, books, stories will die with you?”

I hope none.

Live a FULL life so you can die EMPTY.

Have a FAB week!

And PLEASE ~ share your BHAGS and Action Steps in the comments below!

P.S. Not sure yet what you want out of your life?!? THAT’S OKAY TOO! Why don’t you join me and 40 other amazing like-minded women at Women Living BIG’s inaugural ‘Bubbles & Bucket Lists’ event next Thursday… I guarantee you’ll leave fired up, bucket list in hand, with some ideas to start making it all happen.

AND, stay tuned for the FB and Twitter contests we’re having to learn how you can win a free ticket!

My week in pictures (L-R): Fun times with family at the Jays game, maximizing Labour day weekend on the roof, more rowing, green smoothie casuality, ‘Spark your G.E.N.I.U.S.’ workshop with some inspiring women from iaap Southwestern LAN, opening night at tiff watching London Road!

Flying by the seat of your pants? Don’t apologize, just manage! 3 Tips to do just that.

Yesterday morning, I spilled my green smoothie. And I’m not talking about a little spill, I’m talking about a vitamix blender pretty darn full with a green concoction consisting of kale, celery, a small carrot, blueberries, greens plus, and almonds… knocked off the counter and ALL OVER EVERYWHERE!

You see in an attempt to multi-task, (never a good idea!) I was unloading the dishwasher as I was waiting for my hot water to boil, putting away the smoothie ingredients, and listening to a webinar in the background.

I opened up the cupboard to put a dish away, stupidly failing to see the tall blender was right in the line of fire of the cupboard door. Suddenly, BOOM! In an instant, the whole thing was on the floor, baseboards, walls, cupboards, oven dials, and way too many cracks and crevices all over the freakin’ place.

My first reaction? ‘OH NO! MY GREEN SMOOTHIE!’ And then of course I was kinda sad. And then upset. Mostly because it now meant I had to waste precious minutes (more like almost half an hour!) mopping and cleaning up this mess. However, it didn’t take long for me to start laughing at myself. (See picture above!)

You see, stuff like this seems to happen to me a lot. Perhaps because I sometimes try to do too many things at once. Perhaps because I am often go-go-go at a pace I can’t always keep up with. And perhaps because I am just a girl that flies by the seat of my pants, which means I am often rushing and running around like a crazy chicken.

It’s been a theme that has come up a lot the last little while ~ in discussions with my friends and family, with my own coaches and mentors, and with my coachees and Mastermind members.

And while it seems as though us ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants-ers’ need to apologize for it, I am going to stand up and say NO MORE!

Instead of apologizing for it, let’s start embracing it. And yes, perhaps learning to manage it. Here are 3 ideas to do just that.

1. Encourage some type of self-care ritual

Often us go-go-go types do need to ensure we have some habits or rituals to ensure we slow down every once in a while, and take a moment to breathe. I have reinstated my 10 minutes of yoga every morning, followed by 10 minutes of meditation. And then of course, my green smoothie (so long as I don’t spill it!)

I have given up trying to do it at the same time every morning (see next point!) however even when I have a full day and wake up already feeling behind (especially when it’s Friday and I haven’t even begun writing my Happy Friday blog yet) I make sure I do this. If you don’t have 20 minutes, do 10. Or 5. Even slowing down in your chair or your car, taking a few deep breaths, can slow you down and reset your mind.

An extra few minutes won’t kill anyone, and it can make all the difference in setting up your day.

2. Rather than fight for structure, embrace spontaneity

I can’t tell you the number of different personal development courses, conferences, workshops, seminars, webinars, teleseminars, telesummits, teleseries, masterminds… you name it – that I’ve taken when it comes to mastering productivity, scheduling, and time management. And I’m likely not stopping anytime soon. AND, I need to recognize that no matter what processes, protocols, or procedures I have in place, they are likely to be broken! And not necessarily because I am failing. It’s because I place a higher value on experiences than I do routine. Because I like saying yes when an exciting opportunity comes my way. And because I value flexibility and freedom over routine and regime.

One is not better or worse than the other, simply embrace what you are.

3. Make communication your friend

You likely have some people in your life who know you and love and accept that crazy chicken side of you – and some who may just not quite get it. Be open in your communication. Take ownership for your behaviours, AND don’t be afraid to talk about how it may be affecting those in your life. I get comments from my lovely family members all of the time… ‘Slow down! You rush in and out like a ship in the night!’ Why are you always go go go all of the time?’ Unless it directly affects them (you are constantly late, or are not totally present with them ~ both of which I have been ~ and am constantly aware of and continue to work on) it is not their concern.

Be open and honest with who you are, and don’t be afraid to talk about it.

When is comes to flying by the seat of your pants, there are both pains and pleasures. It’s not always easy, and, it does keep life mostly exciting.

Flying by the seat of your pants? Don’t apologize for it; rather embrace it, and learn to manage it. (Click to tweet it out!)

Have a FAB week!

Are YOU a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person? What tips resonated with you the most? Do you have any other ways to help manage? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Just say NO! (Sometimes you have to.)

Do you remember the ‘Just Say No’ campaign from the late 80’s?!? I may be dating myself here, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers those advertisements, commercials, slogans, etc.

This campaign was originally aimed at saying no to drugs. Well, I certainly agree with the sentiment. However, today I would like to bring it back to life ~ albeit with a new focus. I would like to campaign and encourage you to Just say NO! to anything or anyone that is simply not serving you right now. To whatever or whomever is asking something of you ~ your time, energy, or expertise ~ that is simply not what or where you should be focusing on right now.

I’ll admit I am a ‘yes’ girl. I want to say yes, I enjoy saying yes, I feel good when I say yes. WHY? Well, good reasons abound. Perhaps you can relate to one or more of the following:

I love saying yes to new opportunities

l like being positive and open to whatever life may have to offer

I like to please others (or whomever is asking)

I don’t want to let anyone down

I don’t want to experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out!)

I’m afraid to say no!

Any of these reasons sound familiar?!?

Well, as much as I enjoy saying yes, I have come to realize this last little while more than ever that sometimes you simply gotta JUST SAY NO!

Especially if you want to make room for what’s really important in your life.

This is what my September ‘Living BIG’ challenge is all about. I know I’ve spoken about it before, so I’m going to stop rambling now and let you watch the video!

Are you going to take on the challenge with me? What or who can YOU say no to in your life right now?

And remember, saying no doesn’t make you a mean person, a selfish person, or a bad person. It just means you are listening to what YOU need right now, and respecting yourself, your needs, and your limits.

It means being realistic about what is possible, and being honest about what is most important to you.

Every day, every event, every moment can be an experience. We don’t necessarily have to wait for our next big trip or our next big event to have one.

Here are 3 ideas to do just that.

Adopt a child-like curiosity.

Children are constantly excited and insatiably curious. They observe everything around them. They ask questions. They want to learn. And they freely express themselves in an innocently authentic manner.

Whenever I am in a new city, I love exploring as much of it as possible. And Louisville was no exception! It had far more to offer than I realized. Rich in history, I enjoyed walking the streets, running along the waterfront, and taking an embarrassing amount of selfies (I used to try to hide it… now I’m shameless about my secret obsession with them!) in front of landmarks and random scenes.

Perhaps easier to do when you are a tourist, yes, however couldn’t you also take on the tourist mindset in your own town? Take a new route to work. Discover new interesting places. Observe the sights around you as though it were your first time seeing them. Smile at strangers. Meet new people. Make new friends. Being curious makes for an experience.

Celebrate even without a celebration.

It’s fun to sometimes celebrate just ‘cause. Indulge in an ice cream. Be crazy and make it a double scoop. Get up and dance even if there isn’t a dance floor. Break out the china for a random Tuesday evening meal.

There are numerous reasons to celebrate every day if you choose to see them.

Now I love being around people, however one of my favourite evenings this week was when I took myself out on a date to the fancy Brown Hotel. I ordered their infamous ‘Hot Brown’ (created in that very hotel in 1926 ~an open-faced turkey and bacon sandwich swimming in Mornay sauce, and then baked until the bread is perfectly crisp and the sauce begins to brown. It turns out is has 53 ingredients in all!) I decided to celebrate, ordered a glass of bubbly, and made it an experience. Heck, I even had an ‘old fashioned’, seeing as how I was in the land of Bourbon and all!

Don’t wait for a celebration before celebrating. Every moment is worth celebrating, isn’t it? And celebration makes for an experience.

When you get the chance to ‘Howl at the Moon’, do it.

In the end, it really is about the moments that matter most. And making moments is easier than you think! So when an opportunity to create a moment presents itself, take it.

I met some lovely folks (I met many, as it turns out!) at the Summit, who very graciously invited me to join them at a Dueling Piano bar called ‘Howl at the Moon.’ I was hesitant at first. Would that make me look less professional? Should I not be prepping for my presentation? What if I can’t help but want to dance?

And then I thought, when am I going to have another opportunity to bond with some lovely ladies, listen to talented musicians while dueling pianos, and go to town on the dance floor? And so I gave into the moment. And I’m so glad I did.

I think we can create more of these types of moments, if we choose to, every day. And moments are what makes an experience.

Whenever I’m on holiday, or visiting a new city, I tend to be curious, celebrate, and relish in the moments more. And yes, this makes for great experiences. And it got me thinking – why do I have to be on vacation mode to do this?!? Perhaps I don’t.

Every day, every moment is an opportunity for an experience, if you choose to make it so. Click to tweet it out!

Have a FAB week!

Now I want to hear from YOU! What are your thoughts when it comes to creating experiences? I’d love to hear your comments below.

My week in pictures (from TL-BR:) Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Academy with Fabienne Fredrickson and so many other wonderful folk); good times in LA (in front of the Hollywood sign, having fun with friends, & Julie Andrew’s hand print!); on set at Rogers TV with host Kristen Owens, Elvira Hopper and James Erdt), the Mississauga Arts Council Marty Awards launch party, Media Darling event, having fun at Lioness Club‘s ‘SPA-rty’ with founder Jenny Katkova-Brown and friends)

A few common threads came up during my fun work activities this week.

I had the honour of being interviewed for a telesummit coming up (stay tuned!) entitled ‘The Art of Living Beyond Limitations.’ One of the ideas the host Kristen Owens and I spoke about on the path to living BIG was the importance of CLARITY.

I was also privileged to have sat on an expert panel on the subject of healthy mindset for a segment of ‘Heath Matters’ on Rogers TV. And what it kept coming back to, was CHOICE.

And after attending Brendon Burchard’s 4-day High Performance Academy, I have been all about my new COMMITMENTs.

In order to really get what you really want, I think what is comes down to these 3 C’s: Clarity, Choice, and Commitment.

CLARITY

What is it that you really want? Do you even know? If you don’t first get clear on a vision, and I mean really clear, how are you ever going to know where to go, or when you got there?

Brendon had a great line he shared: “Perhaps the world hasn’t given you what you want because based on all of your distractions, it’s simply unsure as to what you’re asking.”

Hmmm… When was the last time you created a vision board? Or wrote out the vision for your life? Clearly defined your goals, dreams, and/or core desires?

It’s time to get SUPER CLEAR on what you want. And then get rid of the distractions. And if you’re not sure what you want, no time like the present to start thinking about it!

CHOICE

At the end of the day, we have to make a choice. I remember listening to an interview of a guy when I was a lot younger (not a prominent thought-leader by any means, more of an average Joe who had overcome some hardships) who made a lasting impression on me. He was asked of his secret to staying positive. ‘Every morning you wake up you have a choice. Is today going to be a good day or a bad day? I choose to make it a good one.’

Today really is a great day to make it a good day. Wouldn’t you agree?

Once you have clearly defined what it is you want (and Dream BIG! Why not?!?) you have to CHOOSE it. And you have to choose to believe it. And then you have be diligent in choosing to say YES to everything that is going to help you get there, and NO to everything that is steering you off course.

COMMITMENT

In my opinion, at least for me, this is the most challenging of the three. One you know what you want, and you’re choosing it, you have to make a serious COMMITMENT to making it happen. None of this one foot dipping in the water stuff. No, that is not going to get you where you want to go.

It takes serious discipline, hard work, and perseverance to achieve those big dreams. So you gotta commit, and be prepared to make some sacrifices along the way.

If you know you are here for a bigger purpose (and you KNOW you are) you need to fully, 100% commit.

There you have it. That’s what it comes down to. Clarity. Choice. Commitment.

It may be scary, I get it. You will go through tough times. You will fight your inner fears and Gremlins. You will come up against naysayers. And you will be challenged on numerous fronts. However, if you really want what you really want, you have to get really clear, choose it, and commit. Take ownership. Take responsibility. And say yes. And when you do, you won’t let anything get in your way.

Are you ready to go after what you really want?!? Get super CLEAR, CHOOSE it, and be prepared to COMMIT. Because really, it’s your time. (Click to tweet it out!)

Have a FAB week, everyone!

And now I want to hear from YOU! What are YOU prepared to get clear on, choose, and then commit to? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.